Hanger device

ABSTRACT

This invention relates generally to hanger devices for suspending door panels and the like, and more particularly to the combination with a hanger structure of a manually shiftable latch device to facilitate attachment and detachment of a top-hung door panel. The present application discloses a hanger device of the type which includes a carriage movable within an upper track and having means in the form of a depending pin for accommodating a complementary fitting attached to the upper margin of the door panel. The fitting attached to the upper edge of the panel includes an open-ended slot for receiving the lower extremity of the above-mentioned carriage pin. A pivotally supported latch member, when in one shifted position permits lateral insertion of the carriage pin within the open-ended slot, and when in another shifted position prevents lateral movement or dislodgement of the pin from the slot. This latch device includes a member projecting of the door which may be manually manipulated to move the latch member between the two above-mentioned positions.

United States Patent n 1 RUSL'h Sept. 11, 1973 Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 883,937, Dec, 10, 1969,

[75] Inventor:

abandoned.

[52] [1.8. CI 16/97, 16/142, 16/177, 292/304 [51] Int. Cl A47h 15/06 [58] Field of Search 16/97, 98, 102, 103,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS- 3,479,682 11/1969 McNinch 16/97 3,302,963 2/1967 Rochfort... 292/304 X 1,495,712 5/1924 Nester.... 292/304 X 1,890,912 12/1932 Momm... 292/204 2,676,828 4/1954 Mal1ory..... 16/177 X 2,979,355 4/1961 Brown, Jr. 292/76 272,333 2/1883 Sargent 292/304 287,715 10/1883 Porter 292/108 X Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Assistant Examiner-Peter A. Aschenbrenner Attorney Olson. Trexler, Walters & Bushnell [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates generally to hanger devices for suspending door panels and the like, and more particularly to the combination with a hanger structure of a manually shiftable latch device to facilitate attachment and detachment of a top-hung door panel. The present application discloses a hanger device of the type which includes a carriage movable within an upper track and having means in the form of a depending pin for accommodating a complementary fitting attached to the upper margin of the door panel. The fitting attached to the upper edge of the panel includes an open-ended slot for receiving the lower extremity of the abovementioned carriage pin. A pivotally supported latch member, when in one shifted position permits lateral insertion of the carriage pin within the open-ended slot, and when in another shifted position prevents lateral movement or dislodgement of the pin from the slot. This latch device includes a member projecting of the door which may be manually manipulated to move the latch member between the two above-mentioned positrons.

10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures HANGER DEVICE REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of US. application Ser. No. 883,937, filed Dec. 10, 1969, now abandoned.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION door-supporting carriage.

Morespecifically, the invention contemplates means of the type referred to above whereby a latch arm may be manually shifted between two positions; namely, a lat hed position and an unlatched position.

The present invention contemplates a la ching device of the type referred to above, which lends itself for pivotal support by a bracket or fitting carried along the upper edge of a door panel.

The foregoing, and. other objects and advantages, will be more apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accomp naying drawing wherein:

FIG- 1 is a plan view of the hingedly connected doo panels of the bi-folding'type in which one panel is adapted to accommodate along its upper margins a door hanger structure of the type contemplated by the present invention;

FiG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the present invention secured to the upper e ge of a door panel and suspended from a shiftable carriage device;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3*3 of FIG. 2 showing the carriage associated with a conventional upper track member;

FIG. 4 is a detailed fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line. 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fitting or bracket attached to the upperedge of the door panel;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view showing a bracket having a modified open-ended slot and a complementary latch member adapted to be. pivotally supported by said bracket;

FIG. Us a plan view of the bracket and latch member shown in FIG. 6 when associated with the upper edge of a door panel;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 8 disclosing the latch arm in unlatched position and also disclosing initial insertion of the hanger pin within the registered slot of the arm and bracket; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9 disclosing the latch arm in latched position with the hanger pin in final locked position within the door bracket.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail wherein like numerals have been employed to. designate similar parts throughout the various. views, it will be seen that one embodiment of the hanger device contemplated, by the present. invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive and is designated generally by the numeral 12. The hanger device, 12 includes a carriage 14. equipped with rollers, 16 adapted to be guided; within a suitable track 18, FIG. 3. The track 18. is secured. at the top. of a. door opening in a, conventional manner.

A door suspending pin 20 depends from the body of the carriage 14, the lower extremity thereof being adapted for detachable association with a brackct or fitting 22, FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The bracket 22 is secured to the upper edge of the complementary door panel 24 by means of scres 26. The intermediate section of the bracket 22 is deflected upwardly so as to provide a space between the bracket and the upper door edge for accommodating the lower extremity of the carriage pin 20. The lower extremity of the pin 20 is provided with a flange member 28 and a second axially spaced flange member 30. A cylindrical pin or shank section 32, positioned intermediate the flanges 28 and 30, is of a dimension to permit lateral insertion thereof within an open-ended bracket slot or recess 34 of uniform with FIG. 5.

Particular attention is directed to a latching device or member designated generally by the numeral 36. This latching device 36 is substantially L-shaped, and is pivotally supported by and rests upon the upper surface of the bracket 22. A stud or shank member 38 depends from the underside of the latching member 36 and is accommodated by a complementary aperture 40 in the bracket member 22. One extremity of the L-shaped latching member 36 is in the form of handle-extension 42. The remaining section, designated by the numeral 44, is provided with a recess 46 for accommodating the cylindrical pin section 32. When the latch member 36 has been shifted to the locking position shown in FIG. 2, the cylindrical section 32 of the carriage pin 20 is positioned within the closed extremity of the slot 34 and the upper registering portion of the recess or slot 46 of the latch member 36. A locking abutment or protuberance 48 depending from the section or arm 42 of the latching member 36 becomes lodged between the heads of the screws 26 when the latching member is in the locking position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 inclusive. This serves to resist unintended shifting of the latch member 36 from its locking position.

The above-described latching member 36 is preferably formed of firm, resilient stock as for example a one piece molded plastic material. The resiliency of the material permits manual lifting of the projected arm 42 so as to permit dislodgement of the protuberance 48 from between the heads of the screws 26, thus enabling the latching member to be pivoted from its locking position to its unlocked or unlatching position. This may be accomplished by pivoting the L-shaped latch member 36 through degrees from the position shown in FIG. 2. When in this unlatched position, the bracket 22 and the lower extremity of the carriage pin 20 may be separated.

In FIGS. 6 10 inclusive, aslightly modified form of hanger device is shown. Numerals bearing the suffix a are employed to designate similar parts previously identified by corresponding numerals in FIGS. 1-5 inclusive. The only significant difference in structure between the hanger device shown in FIGS. l-S inclusive and the device shown in FIGS. 6-10 inclusive is in the shape of the open-ended slot in the bracket and in the structural arrangement of the lower extremity of the hanger pin. The open-ended slot 34a of the hanger 220 has a width which corresponds with the diameter of the cylindrical pin portion 32a. The inner or closed extremity of the slot 34a is enlarged to a size corresponding with an outer diameter of the flange 28a. In this arrangement, relative axial shifting of the pin 20a and the against relative axial movement, and the positioning of 5 the flange 28a within the enlarged portion of the slot 34a positively secures the pin and bracket against relative lateral separation. A lug 48a corresponding with the previously described lug 48 cooperates with abutment means in the form of the heads of the screws 26a to resistunintended shifting of the latching member 36a from its locked position shown in FIG. 10. Thus the latching member 36a functions similarly to the previously described latching member 36 and a projecting section or handle 42a thereof enables convenient manual manipulation to effect latching and unlatching.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates latching means for door hangers which may be manually controlled. The latching member per se is very inexpensive to produce and to this end it has been found practical to employ conventional plastic molding and forming methods to produce the device as a single or integral unit. It will also be apparent from the foregoing description that the latching device contemplated by the present invention adapts itself for use with brackets in which the openended slots are uniform in width, or to brackets equipped with slots having a relatively narrow entering portion which communicates with an enlarged inner or closed extremity. The latching means contemplated hereby is particularly applicable to bi-folding type doors in instances where it is important to provide emergency door releasing means. Thus, for example, in a hospital room such as a toilet room equipped with bifolding type doors, should a patient inadvertently block the panels and prevent folding movement thereof, the latching device of the present invention enables immediate release-of one of-the panels. This makes it possible to then swing both panels outwardly as a unit, thereby assuring access.

This is shown clearly in FIG. 1, wherein the closed door panels are illustrated in full lines, the partially opened and outwardly swung positions in dotted lines, and the completely folded positions in dot and dash lines.

I claim:

1. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like including upright shank means, the upper extremity thereof having means for attachment to a hanger carriage, shank accommodating plate means for attachment to the upper margin of a door member, said plate means having an open-ended shank accommodating slot, first shoulder means at the lower extremity of said shank means for underlying said plate means in the vicinity of the closed extremity of said slot, a circumferential, peripheral shank section disposed above said first shoulder means having a diameter to-permit lateral association with said slot, second shank shoulder means positioned above said peripheral shank section, a latch member pivoted on the upper side of said plate means along the length thereof and spaced from the plate slot 'and shiftable between latched and unlatched positions and when in latched position projecting into the annular area defined between said first and second shoulder means, and abutment means positioned to leave the latch member pivot located between the abutment means and the plate slot and including screw means for attaching the plate means to a door with a screw head projecting upwardly from the plate means for engaging the latch member to secure the latch member against unintentioned movement when said member is in latching position.

2. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein abutment means is provided on the latch member and is cooperatively disposed with respect to the abutment means on the plate means for securing the latch member against unauthorized shifting when said member is in latching position.

3. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors as set forth in claim 1 wherein the abutment means projects upwardly from the plate means and includes a pair of spaced plate-securing screws with heads, and the abutment on the latch member comprises an element projecting laterally of said latch member and adapted to interlock between said screw heads.

4. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like including upright shank means, the upper extremity thereof having means for attachment to a hanger carriage, shank accommodating horizontally disposed plate means with end portions for attachment to the upper margin of a door member and having a central offset portion providing recess means thereunder, said plate means having an open-ended shank accommodating slot in said offset portion, shoulder means at the.

lower extremity of said shank means for underlying said plate means in the vicinity of the closed extremity of said slot, a horizontally disposed latch member mounted on the upper side of the offset portion of said plate means and pivotally shiftable within a horizontal plane about an axis spaced laterally from the plate slot, said latch member being pivotally shiftable between latched and unlatched positions and when in latched position traversing the open end of said plate slot, an arm projecting from said latch member to a position substantially beyond the face of an associated door whereby to facilitate manual gripping and manipulation thereof when said member is in latching position, the pivot of said latch member being positioned between said plate slot and said arm generally along the center line of the plate means when the latch member is in latched position thereby requiring said arm to be urged in the direction in which it projects, in order to pivotally shift said latch member from latching to unlatching position and abutment means between said plate means and said latch member operable when the latch member is in latching position to counteract unintentional shifting thereof from latching to unlatching positions but permitting rapid shifting of the latch member to unlatching position when said arm is grasped and urged in the direction in which it projects.

5. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the arm has a free extremity adapted to be positioned substantially beyond the face of an associated door, said extremity being provided with a lip portion to facilitate manual urging of the arm in the direction in which said arm projects.

6. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the latch member has a section provided with a shank-accommodating recess, said recess and said arm being positioned on opposite sides of the latch member pivot.

7. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said latch member means is proximate to the juncture of the legs of the L- shaped latch member.

10. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the abutment means is between the ends of said projecting arm and a portion of the plate means removed from the central offset portion thereof. 

1. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like including upright shank means, the upper extremity thereof having means for attachment to a hanger carriage, shank accommodating plate means for attachment to the upper margin of a door member, said plate means having an open-ended shank accommodating slot, first shoulder means at the lower extremity of said shank means for underlying said plate means in the vicinity of the closed extremity of said slot, a circumferential, peripheral shank section disposed above said first shoulder means having a diameter to permit lateral association with said slot, second shank shoulder means positioned above said peripheral shank section, a latch member pivoted on the upper side of said plate means along the length thereof and spaced from the plate slot and shiftable between latched and unlatched positions and when in latched position projecting into the annular area defined between said first and second shoulder means, and abutment means positioned to leave the latch member pivot located between the abutment means and the plate slot and Including screw means for attaching the plate means to a door with a screw head projecting upwardly from the plate means for engaging the latch member to secure the latch member against unintentioned movement when said member is in latching position.
 2. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein abutment means is provided on the latch member and is cooperatively disposed with respect to the abutment means on the plate means for securing the latch member against unauthorized shifting when said member is in latching position.
 3. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors as set forth in claim 1 wherein the abutment means projects upwardly from the plate means and includes a pair of spaced plate-securing screws with heads, and the abutment on the latch member comprises an element projecting laterally of said latch member and adapted to interlock between said screw heads.
 4. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like including upright shank means, the upper extremity thereof having means for attachment to a hanger carriage, shank accommodating horizontally disposed plate means with end portions for attachment to the upper margin of a door member and having a central offset portion providing recess means thereunder, said plate means having an open-ended shank accommodating slot in said offset portion, shoulder means at the lower extremity of said shank means for underlying said plate means in the vicinity of the closed extremity of said slot, a horizontally disposed latch member mounted on the upper side of the offset portion of said plate means and pivotally shiftable within a horizontal plane about an axis spaced laterally from the plate slot, said latch member being pivotally shiftable between latched and unlatched positions and when in latched position traversing the open end of said plate slot, an arm projecting from said latch member to a position substantially beyond the face of an associated door whereby to facilitate manual gripping and manipulation thereof when said member is in latching position, the pivot of said latch member being positioned between said plate slot and said arm generally along the center line of the plate means when the latch member is in latched position thereby requiring said arm to be urged in the direction in which it projects, in order to pivotally shift said latch member from latching to unlatching position and abutment means between said plate means and said latch member operable when the latch member is in latching position to counteract unintentional shifting thereof from latching to unlatching positions but permitting rapid shifting of the latch member to unlatching position when said arm is grasped and urged in the direction in which it projects.
 5. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the arm has a free extremity adapted to be positioned substantially beyond the face of an associated door, said extremity being provided with a lip portion to facilitate manual urging of the arm in the direction in which said arm projects.
 6. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the latch member has a section provided with a shank-accommodating recess, said recess and said arm being positioned on opposite sides of the latch member pivot.
 7. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said latch member is substantially L-shaped with the arm forming one leg thereof.
 8. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the abutment means is proximate to an extremity of one of the legs of the L-shaped latch member.
 9. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the abutment means is proximate to the juncture of the legs of the L-shaped latch member.
 10. A hanger device for top-hung sliding doors and the like, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the abutment means is between the ends of said projecting arm and a portion of the plate means removed from the central offset portion thereof. 